Means for housing propellers of ships.



No. 707,4". Patented Aug. l9, I902.

, .1. HAMILTON. MEANS FOR HOUSING PROPELLERS 0F SHIPS.

(Application filed Apr. 8, 1902.)

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No. 707,411. "Patentd Aug. I9, I902.

J. HAMILTON. MEANS FOR HOUSING PROPELLERS 0F SHIPS.

(Application filed Apr. 8, 1902.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

No. 707,4". Patnted A-ug. I9, 1902.

J. HAMILTON. MEANS FOR HOUSING PBOPELLERS OF SHIPS.

(Application filed Apr. 8, 1902.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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NlTBD STATES Peter OFFICE.

JAMES HAMILTON, OF GLASGOW, SCOTLAND.

MEANS FOR HOUSING PROPELLERS OF SHIPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 707,411, dated August 19, 1902.

Application filed April 8, 1902. Serial No. 101,925. (No model.)

To rtZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES HAMILTON, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of Glasgow, Scotland, (whose postal address is Ardedyan, Orossloan road, Reheinside, Glasgow, Scotland,) have invented certain new and Improved Means for Housing Propellers of VVar-Ships and the Like, (for which I have applied for a British Patent No. 21,895, October 31, 1901,) of which the following is a specification.

My said invention has for its object to provide improved means for housing one or more of the propellers of war-ships and the like (having more than one propeller) to avoid the drag and consequent waste of power that results when one or more of the propellers is or are left free to revolve or is or are fixed or made to revolve without doing work, the other propeller or propellers doing the useful work of the ship.

The housing is effected by simply drawing the propellers forward from their working position and housing them against parts of the ship,with after surfaces similarly shaped at the different parts as counterparts of or to fit the forward surfaces of the propellers,

which after surfaces when shaped to fit the propellers make,with the surfaces of the ships run or with the surfaces of brackets, arms, or webs, angles corresponding in acuteness to the angle of the propeller-blades or form of the-boss, but sufficiently small to allow the stream of water to close in behind the sternpost brackets or webs without adding appreciable extra resistance to the shipspassage through the water. \Vhen the propeller is housed and is fitting close against the parts prepared for it, as aforesaid, the form of the lines to permit of the closing of the water is not appreciably altered from existing arrangements and is equally efficient. The in1- provements can be applied in connection with any known arrangement or combination of screw propellers, and by way of example they areshown and described as applied in connection with a propelling arrangement consisting of one central propeller and two wing or side propellers.

Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the accompanying drawings are respectively a plan, partly in section, a longitudinal elevation, partly in section, and an end elevation, partly in section, of the after portion of a war-ship and showing the improved means for housing a propeller.

In the drawings the same reference-letters are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.

As shown in the drawings, the ship is provided with a usual propelling arrangement consisting of a central propeller A and two wing propellers B and B The central propeller A is preferably made with four blades and represents half the available propelling power, each of the wing propellers representing a fourth of the power available. Brackets O for carrying the wing propellers B B are formed on or fixed to the sides of the sternpost D at the same height as the central shaft A, the brackets being strengthened by stays 0, having their lower ends fixed to the said brackets and their upper ends to the upper part D of the stern-post frame, the three propellers working nearly in the same position in a fore-and-aft direction.

The following improved arrangement is provided for housing or masking the central propeller A for cruising or steaming long distances,and thus obtaining the utmost economy of fuel. In the stern-post end immediately in front of the propeller A a recess or pocket E is formed of a size sufficient to fit easily the propeller-boss A the depth of the recess being hereinafter described. Two angular parts or surfaces G G2 are formed on the sternpost D, one, G, extending above the recess E, and the other, G below it, the said surfaces being similarly shaped as counterparts of or to fit the forward surfaces of any two of the propeller-blades A when placed in a vertical position, the aftermost edge parts of the angular surfaces forming the fore side of the propelleropening. Similarly the side brackets G are formed with similar angular parts or surfaces G G shaped as counterparts of or to fit the forward surfaces of any two of the propellerblades A when placed in a horizontal position. The propellerA, which is shown in its working position, is then housed or masked by simply drawing the propeller-shaft A inward or forward in any convenient way, so that the blades A shall engage in or against the angular parts G G2 G G provided for them on the stern-post D and side brackets C, as described, the recess E for the boss being made deep enough to permit the required forward movement of the propeller beyond the stern-post end or face. The angular or housing surfaces G G2 G G on the stern-post D and side brackets 0 when the propeller A is not housed or the outside surfaces of the propellerblades A when the propeller is housed make, with the sides of the stern-post D or run and the horizontal surfaces of the side brackets C, angles which depend on the pitch ratio of the propeller, but which are easy for the passage of the water closing in a stern of the ship and cause little increase or perhaps a decrease of the fluid resistance as compared with the resistance caused by the terminations of water-lines at stern-post parts as usually constructed. The stern-post D and side brackets O, as shown, have the angular or housing surfaces formed on.them; but such surfaces may be formed on separate plates or posts, which are fitted in position after the propeller A is in place.

In cases where there is large difference between the positions of the central and wing propellersAB B in a fore-and-aft direction, so that it is not convenient to use the side supporting-brackets O for housing the two blades of the central propeller, as described, additional bracket-pieces for housing these blades are provided, the brackets being fitted to the sides of the stern-post D and having easy entrances, so as to open out the streams of water. Provision is not shown for housing or masking the wing propellers B B but each of these might be partly masked by its supporting-bracket O and stay 0', these parts being suitably arranged and shaped, so as to house or mask two blades of the propeller, while the remaining blade or blades might be masked by an additional part or parts arranged in connection with the main supporting-bracket O.

The housing of the central propeller-blades A may in some cases be accomplished by moving the propeller A aft instead of forward, so that the blades shall engage as before in similar angular or counterpart surfaces provided for them on the rudder-post H and side brackets fitted in connection therewith.

I claim as my invention 1. A ship having a propeller and shaft adapted to be moved longitudinally, and after portions of the ship in line with the propeller-blades, said after portions being shaped to conform with the propeller-blades, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. A ship having a plurality of propellers, one propeller longitudinally movable, after portions of the ship in the way of such propeller, angular parts or surfaces on said after portions and shaped as counterparts of the blades to fit the surfaces of the blades, the propeller being adapted to be drawn up against the said angular or counterpart surfaces, substantially as set forth.

3. A ship having a central propeller and two wing propellers, a stern-post, with a bracket on each side of it adapted to carry the wing propellers, angular parts on the stern-post and brackets shaped as counterparts of the propeller-blades to fit the forward surfaces of the blades of the central propeller, a recess in the stern-post end for the boss of said propeller, the propeller being adapted to be drawn inward or forward from its working position till its blades engage against the angular or counterpart surfaces provided for them as aforesaid on the sternpost and side brackets, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES HAMILTON.

Witnesses:

DAVID FERGUSON, GEORGE PATTERSON. 

